Egg and Cucumber Sandwiches
What’s better than a classic British tea-time sandwich? Two classics combined! These egg and cucumber sandwiches are delicate little morsels filled with creamy, savoury, and delightfully peppery egg mayonnaise, then topped with a crunchy, cooling slice of cucumber.
When I was a child, my sister worked in a seafront café, mostly serving the local sailors and dockyard workers. On lucky days, she’d return home from work armed with specially made vegetarian sandwiches for me.
I still remember the scrumptious flavour of those sandwiches — to this day, they still taste better than anyone else’s. I guess that’s the taste of love!
If there’s one thing British cuisine does well (apart from fish and chips — or battered tofu and chips in my case — and masala beans on toast), it’s sandwiches. We’re obsessed with them. Meal deals, afternoon teas, sandwiches for packed lunches, sandwiches for picnics … sandwiches, sandwiches, sandwiches.
When done right, sandwiches are so convenient (literally grab and go!) and the ideal vessel for an array of stunning flavours.
This recipe combines my personal favourite sandwich — rich and creamy egg cress — with the cooling crunch of cucumber finger sandwiches, which are a must for hot weather. It’s the best of both worlds, and I can’t wait for you to nibble them all up, too!
😋Why These Egg and Cucumber Sandwiches are Unbeatable
🥪Ingredients You’ll Need
As the photo above shows, you only need a handful of ingredients (literally!) to make this recipe come together.
Better yet, they’re all pantry staples and household essentials, making this recipe incredibly accessible and also affordable. Here’s a breakdown:
- Bread: I’m usually an advocate for sourdough (I’m obsessed) or artisan bread, but good old sandwich bread rules the day for finger sandwiches. White or wholegrain is fine; just ensure it’s light and fluffy. If you don’t like the processed store-bought stuff, you can make sandwich bread at home!
- Butter: Butter is optional, but it adds an additional layer of richness. Replace with vegan butter or skip entirely (the egg cress salad is rich enough).
- Cucumber: It’s crucial that you use an English cucumber. Compared to other varieties, English cucumbers have thinner skins (they don’t need peeling), less seeds, and a sweeter taste.
Then, there’s the egg cress salad ingredients:
- Eggs: Any eggs are fine, but old eggs are better for hard-boiling.
- Mayonnaise: Use your favourite brand. Vegan mayonnaise, kewpie mayonnaise, standard Hellmann’s — it’s all good here.
- Salad cress: Available at all major grocery stores. Shouldn’t be confused with watercress.
- Salt and pepper: For seasoning, of course! Don’t skip, and always use freshly ground.
How to Switch up the Flavours (+ Vegan Version!)
Already vegetarian, nut-free, and soy-free as written, this egg and cucumber sandwich recipe is adaptable for a wide range of dietary requirements and lifestyles. For example:
- Make a dairy-free version of egg and cucumber sandwiches by switching mayonnaise for homemade hummus (this creates an earthier, more robust flavour) or mashed avocado (a buttery finish that’s still divinely fatty and creamy).
- Use your favourite gluten-free bread (available at most large grocery stores now) to effortlessly make this celiac friendly.
- Making this British classic vegan is less easy, but far from impossible. First, you’ll need to create an egg substitute. My favourite method is by roughly mashing silken tofu and firm tofu with nutritional yeast, black salt (for the sulphuric essence of real eggs), wholegrain mustard (tofu needs a bit more seasoning), and turmeric (for colour). Mix it up with vegan mayonnaise (find it in any major grocery store or online retailer), and you have a delicious substitute that isn’t too complicated.
When playing with the flavours, you have more free reign.
I adore the basic, pure, traditional flavours of this recipe. Keeping things simple lets the ingredients shine. Nonetheless, there’s no harm in adding a touch more spice.
For instance, you can sprinkle some smoked paprika or za’atar over the egg cress salad, or stir through a spoonful of wholegrain mustard for a punch of peppery umami.
Without altering the flavour much, you can also add more crispness to the texture and freshness by adding an additional layer of salad leaves. I like frisee, or for more oomph, rocket (arugula).
🥒How to Make Egg and Cucumber Sandwiches ( With Step-by-Step Photos)
Grab a chopping board, saucepan, small bowl, and a knife and fork.
Making egg and cucumber sandwiches is super-duper easy. It’s a British tea-time favourite for a reason … because it involves barely any cooking. Honestly, this has to be one of the easiest recipes I’ve shared on Oh My Veg.
One: Roughly cut the salad cress.
Two: Hard-boil the eggs (place in cold water, then bring to a boil, turn off the heat, and let sit for 10 minutes).
Three: Peel the hard-boiled eggs.
Four: Roughly mash two of the eggs with a fork.
Five: Grate the other two eggs into the same bowl.
Six: Add the mayonnaise, chopped salad cress, ground pepper, and salt to taste.
Seven: Mix the egg cress salad properly.
Eight: Spread the egg cress over the sandwich bread.
Nine: Take two slim slices of cucumber and place them on top of the egg cress salad.
Ten: Place another slice of sandwich bread over the cucumber and cut off the crusts. Repeat with other sandwiches.
When I was a child, I remember my Mum would enlist my help to make these sandwiches. It’s a great dish to gain more confidence in the kitchen. Or to whip up in a hurry.
Of course, you can find the full recipe, with more thorough instructions, in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
🥚Tips for the Best Egg and Cucumber Sandwiches
For the best hard-boiled eggs, use old eggs (not fresh ones). Sounds weird, but it works!
The KEY to my ultra-creamy yet not-at-all-runny egg mixture is how I prepare the eggs: half are mashed (with a fork; this is easy, accessible, and gives much better results than a large masher or cutting), while the other half are grated. This variation gives you the perfect amount of big chunks vs. creamy sweetness.
Instead of using sliced cucumbers, you can utterly transform the texture of these finger sandwiches by grating the cucumber directly into the egg salad mixture, instead.
Want to keep the sandwiches, rather than eating them instantly? Pat down the cucumbers with a paper towel after slicing to soak up excess moisture. This will reduce the chance of soggy sandwiches. Nobody likes soggy sandwiches, after all!
❓FAQs
🍽️Make Ahead + Storage
These egg and cucumber sandwiches make for fantastic meal prep.
The egg salad with fresh cress stirred through can be made up to four days in advance. You need to cover it tightly with plastic wrap (or throw it in an airtight container), and pop the mixture in the fridge.
To avoid the bread getting soggy, it’s best to assemble the sandwiches shortly before eating. Layering the sandwich only takes a few minutes — if that — so it’s easy to make on the go.
That said, I’ve made the sandwiches, popped them in the fridge, and then eaten them for a late lunch the next day after travelling. They still tasted fantastic — I remember so well because I was picnicking next to one of the U.K.’s oldest stone circles. Who could forget that!
🍹Serving Suggestions
Egg and cucumber sandwiches are just perfect for afternoon tea. Scones with clotted cream and jam (I’m from Devon, so I like cream first!), a pot of Earl Grey or camomile, these finger sandwiches, and a pastry or two. It’s so English … read: quaint and delicious.
My other favourite ways to eat egg and cucumber sandwiches are as part of a “picky bits” dinner/tea (my fellow British people know what I’m talking about!). Here’s a selection you could include:
- Some good crisps (chips for my U.S. audience): ready salted, salt and vinegar, cheese and onion, homemade vegetable crisps … all the classics
- Mini vegetarian sausage rolls
- A selection of salads; think caprese, then crowd-pleasers like arugula and spinach
- Homemade hummus and a selection of other dips, like peppercorn mayo or sour cream and chive
- Falafels (wild garlic falafels are fancy and go down a treat with just about anyone)
- Marinated olives
Alternatively, you can pack the egg and cucumber sandwiches for a picnic. Whether you’re taking a family picnic (pair with mint lemonade) or a date night, it’s sure to be a winner.
If you tried this recipe for egg and cucumber sandwiches — or any other recipe on my website — please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know your thoughts in the ✍️ comments at the bottom of the page.
Thanks for being a part of my community!
Egg and Cucumber Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 2 ½ tablespoons mayonnaise heaped
- 10 g salad cress half packet, which is usually 20g
- Sea salt to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 6 slices sandwich bread
- Butter optional, to taste
- ½ large English cucumber half a cucumber is about 180g
Instructions
- Carefully place 4 large eggs in a saucepan with plenty of cold water. Bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, turn off the stove, and let the eggs sit in the water for around 10 minutes. Once this time has passed (do the rest of the prep while waiting!), remove the eggs and carefully peel the shells.
- Add two of the eggs to a medium bowl and roughly mash with a fork. With the other two eggs, use a fine grater to grate them into the bowl (for textural interest).
- Add 2 ½ tablespoons mayonnaise and 10 g salad cress (chopped), plus Sea salt and Ground black pepper to taste, to the same bowl. Mix well.
- Take 6 slices sandwich bread and spread with room-temp Butter.
- Take ½ large English cucumber and cut into long, vertical slices.
- Spread ⅓rd of the egg mayonnaise mixture over one slice of bread. Top with two slices of cucumber, cut to size. Add a slice of bread on top, then trim off the edges with a knife (optional, but makes for traditional tea sandwiches).
- Repeat with the remaining bread, egg cress salad, and cucumber.
